Dancing

So much fun to dress up and dance and spend the day with some of your best friends.

Some of my most favorite girls in the world EVER.

Photos by Ruthie, our amazing photography and the beautiful redhead in the middle. ;)

Me and my beautiful sis Jenn <3

C'était un bon week-end!

Summer Days

Alas, dear friends, I have been a negligent or otherwise LAME blogger.


You must forgive me yet again... I plan to set of a regular schedule for myself as soon as school gets under way (Ohio State University starts the 21st of September!  HEEEELLLLPPPP!!!)

This summer has been extraordinary in so many ways.  I have been gone a LOT, which is partly the reason I have been so terrible in keeping up with my blog.


My mom, sisters, and I all took a wonderful trip to Wisconsin, and then on the way home, we stayed in Chicago and toured the city for three days.  It was wonderful to spend some quality girl time, laugh, buy yummy food, and shop a lot.

I came to realize how much I adore the city.  Especially this city.  I don't know why, but Chicago has now become my ideal "yuppie" place of residence.

This is me and my 3 lovely sisters on the Navy Pier with the city of Chicago behind us. 

Then for two and a half weeks, my whole family went on vacation.  It was incredible... we visited Niagara Falls, Toronto, Montreal, Juliette, Quebec City, Bar Harbor (Maine), Portland, and Boston.  

It was a whirlwind of a ride, but we met some wonderful people, had some amazing (and funny) experiences, created memories, and learned a lot.


I also treasured this trip because it helped me to understand my family a little more...


I was able to grow closer to my brother and sister and spend some time with my little sisters -- something I should do more often.

Besides being gone, I've been working a bunch (which is both good and bad... good for the money, bad because I'm not fond of my job), getting together with friends (which is something I can never do enough), and attending Labor Day Family Camp.

This year is the second time I've gone too this camp, and it was been a life changing experience both times.  God has met me during Labor Day weekend in ways that I didn't think were possible.  I felt a reassurance from Him that He has my life in the palm of His hands (which of course I believe, but it's a fact that is really hard to live out day by day).

I was able to find a peace about where my life is headed and know that He has my best interest at heart.  There have been some tough decisions for me to make lately.... college, money, job, car, future plans, BUYING A COMPUTER (ughhh!!).... and all of that I've had to rely on Christ and be secure in the knowledge that His plans are greater than I can imagine.  NOT an easy thing to do.  And I'm still working on it... trust me. :)

I've come to realize a few things lately about my life.  My friends are wonderful.  I love you guys.  I have such a solid, strong support group surrounding me and we all are the body of Christ.  I've come to realize how blessed I am to have so many like-minded, and yet totally different people.

 Recently I feel like I've gained some new friends, and at the same time lost a few more.  And then there are those old friends who I've known so long that we don't have to talk for months, but when I see them, they can read me like a book.  God is good to me.

Also, I've come to appreciate family.  Not that I didn't appreciate my family before, but I think I have a new respect for my family and how we work together.  It never hard, and usually my family members are the ones that bug, torment, and hurt me the most.  Yet, I'll have them forever.  People will come and go in and out of my life, but my family is there FOREVER.  It's a comforting thought (and then there are times when I'm like, "I NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!")  But we all have those moments.





No matter what I do, say, think, or feel, I know they're there for me.  Thank goodness.  We can grow, fight, learn, cry, and journey together.... but the point is that we're really in this together.  I've realized that as much as a adore my friends (and many of them are adopted siblings), no one understands your heart as much as a family member.




I also turned 18 this summer.  EIGHTEEN!  I don't feel that old.  I remember being 10, and my grandpa came up to me and said, "Only three more years and you'll be a teenager!"   Those were the days.... lol

So, yeah... this has been a sincere attempt to try to "catch up" on the past three months of blogging.  However, there is no such thing.  I am determined in the future to live up to my own expectations of a consistent blogger... let's see if I keep my word.  Please hold me to it!

(Oh! And all the pictures... well most of the pictures... were taken and edited by my sister Jennoelle :)

The Storms of This Life

Have you ever just thought about how grateful you are to be ALIVE?  Thank you Jesus.

This week has been wonderful in many ways.  I've spent the week with about fifty Somali Bantu kids from Columbus teaching them about God and spending time with them.  My church has been outreaching to the Bantu people in Columbus, so this week a bunch of us have put on a mini VBS for the kids, from preschool to 6th grade.  It's been a great experience... I'm in charge of about ninth 4th through 6th graders.  I've been able to connect with some of them and just be their friend.  They love to run (seriously, I've never seen so much energy), and sing and dance and shout.  There's been several more challenges to the week than I expected, but being flexible is part of the fun and growth of the experience.  A little girl named Fardosa today told me that she was born in Kenya.  She's 10 years old!!  I keep praying that God will open these children's hearts up to know Him, especially since they are all Muslim.  My job is to be an example and a shining light, which I pray to God is happening.  But to be honest, it's been three days so far, and I'm thoroughly exhausted.

 Face painting with the kids from my church :)

Most of my Bantu kids :)

Besides the craziness of this week helping at Somali Camp, another circumstance has occurred.  A dear friend of mine's mother passed away on Sunday night.  She died of breast cancer after struggling for two years. It's been a rough few days, just realizing the change that is taking place in their family.  And it doesn't even directly affect me, it just makes me sad.  But I know that God is working.  I know He is.  He has this family in the palm of His hand, and He's holding them tight in His arms.  Please pray for my friend Hannah and the rest of her family as they are dealing with her loss.

Sometimes I ask why.  Why, God, would you let something so terrible happen like that?

This song has helped me remember the truth. 


Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"


Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." 

And I know God's promises will never fail.

relationships

Sighhh.

This week has been both physically and emotionally draining.

On one hand, I've been working all week at a trapshoot tournament with a bunch of friends.  We've laughed, played pranks, and been annoying to each other all week... and all around had a good time.  And on the plus side, today was pay day.  Now I feel at least somewhat able to afford the majority of my summer wardrobe. I've had several friends graduate and got to hang out with lots of old friends, build new connections, and have some good conversations with some people I really enjoy.

The other half of this week has been rough.  My mom has been gone on a solo vacation for the past two weeks.  Although we've been doing fine without her, I'm ready for her to come home.  I'm tired of doing the little things that I normally don't have to do when she's here.  And to be honest, I miss her.  Besides that, I feel like I've been a roller coasters ride of sorts trying to address some things in my life that I normally don't like to think about.

Here comes a true depressing fact: relationships are hard.

I've realized that more than ever today.  In fact, this idea that relationships are hard has hit me like a ton of bricks over the past 24 hours.  Have you ever taken someone for granted??  You value them above anything, but you don't realize their worth until you feel like they're slipping away.  And then you don't realize that it's happening until it's already happened.  Or you're cruising along in life just trying to maintain the status quo in fear that if you bring up issues, the whole world will explode.

I've come to realize that I love people.  I know the best, most precious friends in the world.  But there are times when I feel absolutely helpless.  Like I don't know if it's me that needs to change, or them.  And the times when it's clear that the other person needs to change, it's difficult to keep loving them beyond their inability to see their own need to change.

I've come to realize for myself that one of the key ways to work through a relationship is communication.  But it takes two people to communicate.  I can't do it all on my own.  That's where the helplessness sets in.  I believe that it's better to talk about it than to sweep it under the carpet and bury it.  But the other person has to believe that too.

And of course, there's Christ's example of patience, forgiveness, grace, and love.  I of all people need more and more of Jesus in my relationships.  The times when I'm frustrated, hurt, confused, and lost... those are the times when I need to think and act like Him, in all His love and faithfulness.

And something else that I've been convicted of lately... don't ever give up on a relationship.  Even if it seems impossible, and you can never heal what's been hurt, I think there can always be restoration.

Trust me, I've given up before.  In fact, I still have given up.  But I want to change that.  I want to have hope.  I want to believe in healing and harmony.  I don't know if or when that will happen, but I know it's possible by the grace of God.

So I'm praying for it everyday until it does.

How Deep, How Wide

This week has been crazy insane.

I been pushing it a lot lately, and I think I've been getting a little worn out.  Last week started out with a tiny cold, but I refused in the name of Jesus to get sick.  And even though this week has been extremely busy and stressful, I've really felt the need to rely on God for strength.  I've realized that I tend to be extremely self-reliant.  I think I have things under control, and I can handle it.  I get easily impatient, so I take matters into my own hands instead of waiting on God.  But this week, I've had to ask Him to get me through.

Between college classes, dance, play rehearsals, family, homework, errands, work, friends, and life in general, life definitely keeps me running with having a fixed schedule and mounds of deadlines.  I hardly get one morning to sleep in all week... not that I'm complaining... trust me, I am more than blessed.  But this past week has been tough -- spiritually, physically, and mentally.  I'm ready for a break.  A looong break.  A revival. 

So what better time for a revival then today, Good Friday?  Unfortunately, I feel like I've hardly spent a minute with God except to pray quickly for the things I want.  Sure I've thought about God, I've talked to Him, but somehow I'm longing for more.  I want to give up everything I just simply think about HIM -- without a million other deadlines, plans, and worries running through my head. 

But God is faithful. 

"But [the LORD] said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Wow.  Just wow.

So those times when you feel like you can't take a breath, the times when you want to cry but don't have the tears, the times when you want to sing but no song will come, the times when you sit but still feel like your standing, the times when you sleep but still feel awake... those are times when God's grace is sufficient for me.  I don't have to be strong.  Because He already is.

Knowing this gives me peace.  Peace for the present, and peace for the future.  These past couple days have been hectic in trying to make plans for the summer and beyond.  There are so many opportunities, and so little time to do it all.  But it comforts me to know that God knows.  He knows.  He wants what is best for me, even if I seem to disagree.  And I'm going to trust in His plan.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Thank you Jesus.

My church sang this song a couple weeks ago, and it says a lot of what I want to say. 

trains on a windy day

Bonjour, my readers!!

Ahh...shame on me!  I'm sorry to have not posted in so long.  I feel like I am neglecting my duty to write (although I'm the one who's making this a duty).  But really, it's been too long.  I'll try to be better at being more consistent.  Hahaha, for those who know me well, we'll see how long my motivation lasts. ;)

Anyways, I have had quite an exciting and eventful last two weeks.  Two weeks ago, I started spring quarter at a local state and community college.  It's been a busy, crazy couple weeks trying to get into the swing of things again and adjusting myself to campus.  I have to park my car all the way on west campus, which is miles from my classroom, and take a campus bus to my building.  I feel like such a city dweller when I go downtown and take the bus will all these young college kids.  It's nice because I feel like I'm sort of one of the crowd now.

However... I DID accidently take the wrong bus on Wednesday.  I think I must have been half asleep or something because I got on the bus, and it took a turn that I knew it wasn't supposed to take.  It was then I realized that I was in the wrong bus, and if I stayed on it, it would probably take at last a half an hour to get to class.  So I quickly got off the next stop and panicked.  There were no people or buses in sight.  "I'm stranded!!!"  I thought.  "I'll be stuck here for an hour until another one comes along!"  Fortunately, a guy came out of a near by building and climbed into a parked bus, started it up, and was about to pull out when I ran over to him, knocked on the doors, and climbed aboard.  I had no idea what bus I was on, but I knew I had to get on something or I'd be waiting there FOREVER.

Thankfully, the bus that I took went nearby my bus stop, so I just ran the rest of the way to class.  It was quite an adventure!  From now on, I'll be sure to take the right bus!! :)

Anyways, besides my crazy college adventures, I was able to go hang out with my awesome play performance buddies last weekend.  Besides me and my sister, there are three other girls who are all in the play Little Women at a local community theater.  We have a blast together!!!  So last Friday, we all went to dance that our directors put on, and afterward spent the night together.  It was so much fun!  At the dance, we ran around chasing people, eating food, naming things, trying to "break the rules,"  laughing at weird people, and having adventures in the bathroom.  Then we went back to my friend's house, eat some more, watched Tangled, told creepy clown stories, shared secrets, and fell asleep exhausted. 

The next day, we planned a photoshoot with the five of us, since my sister and one of my friends are extremely good photographers (and the rest of us like our pictures taken =]).  We went to a nearby stationary train and had a mini-shoot out in the coldness and rain.  It was so much fun!!!

Here's some of the results.  Most of them are taken by Ruthie (the ones with Red Photo on them), and a few were taken by my sis Jenn.

Caitlin, me, Ruthie, Lauren, and Jenn.

The awesome fivesome again. :)

Ruthie's idea... amazing shot.

Aw, love this one.

 Jenn (Amy in Little Women)

Lauren (Beth in Little Women)

 Ruthie (Meg in Little Women)

Caitlin (Aunt March in Little Women)

 The rest are of me (and I'm Jo in Little Women).  Aren't we the cutest March girls???

 See this link for more photos: http://www.facebook.com/?sk=messages&tid=1644260033214#!/pages/Red-Photo/182689188443315

So yes, indeed, it was a glorious weekend, and we had a marvelous time, even though it was absolutely freezing outside!  I can't wait for summer and sunshine, that's for sure.  And I can't wait till our Little Women play!!!  It's at the end of April and beginning of May... and it's going to be great!! and scary!! and so much fun! =]

Française

Bonjour mes amis! 

When I was 13 years old (wow... four years ago), I got the wonderful opportunity to visit France for a month with my mom.  My mom's good friend is a professor who was heading up her college's student study abroad program for that whole school year.  So, we had a free place to stay is Strasbourg, France, during which time we traveled through Switzerland, walked the streets of Paris, swam in the Mediterranean Sea, biked into Germany, and hiked the mountains of Cinqa Terra, Italy.

Anyways, I wanted to share some of my favorite pictures.  Be warned, however... I am the skinny, brown-haired, braces-needy, fluffy haired girl in these pictures.  These were taken a LONG time ago.  :)

This was between Switzerland and France.

The next three pictures are of Strasbourg, France, located in Alsace, the territory long disputed between France and Germany.  My mom's friend's apartment was in Strasbourg, so we spent most of our time in this beautiful city. :)

 (me sitting by the canal in Strasbourg... notice the couple behind the stone fence on the other side :)

 (my absolute favorite building in the whole city!)

(beautiful, Strasbourg-German styled buildings)

The next four pictures are from Paris!!!  I loved Paris!!! I'd absolutely do anything to live there someday.

(me and my mom in front of the Tour d'Eiffel)

 (Notre Dame -- I loved that place.)

 (the Eiffel Tower at night!  It lights up too!)

(me at Versailles, the old royal French palace.)

(Sacre Coeur -- Sacred Heart)

And, as a side trip, my mom, Lori (my mom's friend) and I visited Cinqa Terra, Italy on the Mediterranean.  We hiked about 10 miles in 2 days up and down mountains, visited 5 little cities on foot, swam in the sea, eat seafood, pesto, petas, and cheese.  It was heavenly.  By the end, I was exhausted, and I remember being so tired that I also passed out trying to catch a train back to our little hotel. :)

(probably my favorite of the 5 cities or cinqa terras -- Vernazza)

I also did a painting of Vernazza, Italy.  The lighting on this picture is really bad, but here's my version.

It was one of the best experiences of my whole life.  And someday... someday... I'm going to go back. 

À plus tard!

Laughing At

This song has been on my ipod for FOREVER.  It's called Laughing With by Regina Spektor.  Once it's in your head, it's hard to get out.  In fact, it's gotten to the point where Jenn will be like "Stop humming that song!"  Recently I had to write a paper on a song of my choice for my English class.  At first, I thought, "How am I going to choose a song out of ALL the songs there are?"  So I got out my ipod and started shuffling, and this is the one I ended up choosing. 

To be honest, I'd never really thought about the lyrics before, and when I finally did, I was sort of confused.  In the verses of the song, she sings about how people don’t laugh at God in the midst of their troubles.  She gives different examples of hardships, like, “No one laughs at God in a hospital, No one laughs at God in a war, No one’s laughing at God, When they’re starving or freezing or so very poor.”

In the chorus, she tells about how God can be "funny" or is "made fun of" when people are happy or doing okay.  She sings, “God can be funny, At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or, When the crazies say he hates us, and they get so red in the head, you think that they’re about to choke. God can be funny, When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way, And when presented like a genie, Who does magic like Houdini, or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus.”

In essence, the song is about hypocrisy.  Why do people mock the thought of God when they feel like they don’t need Him, and then pray to God desperately for help when things get out of control?  Regina asks her listeners a question... Do you really believe God is out there?  If you do, then act like it all the time and don't mock the existence of God when you "feel like don't need Him."  If you don’t, then why don't think about God when tragedy strikes?  If He doesn't exist when life is good, then He won't exist when life is bad.  In essense, I think the song tells us to either take God seriously or give up the idea of God altogether.

At the end of the song, it says, “No one’s laughing at God, We’re all laughing with God.”  This struck me, and it gives the song a whole new meaning. The song is called Laughing With because of the last line.  But I think the song should be more appropriately called Laughing At.  I also thought it was interesting how the name God is mentioned over thirty times throughout the song, but the word God is not in the title.  Maybe no one would have listened to a song titled Laughing At God, but in truth, that exactly what this song is about.

But what does Regina mean by laughing with God?  Laugh because we know everything will turn out okay?  Laugh because the world is going to end someday and nothing on earth will "really matter?"  Laugh because once we die, we're DEAD, and there's nothing really we need to live for?  It's almost like God's just up there laughing at our short, petty little lives, and then we all realize it's all just a big joke.  For me, this last line is the most puzzling and thought provoking part of the song.  What is Regina trying to say?

I think there are many ways to interpret the ending of the song, but this is how I look at it.  We'll laugh with God is heaven.  We'll laugh when we see our sorrows turned into joys.  We'll laugh when we hear music instead of crying.  We'll laugh when we see good come out of bad.  That's when true happiness will come -- not when we think we have life figured out and not when we think we're okay on our own -- when we realize that God had it all planned out the whole time.

Listen. 

Forget

Today I learned a few things that were unexpected.  Things about love, about trust, about forgiveness.  About surrendering.  About feeling helpless.  About feeling hopeless.  About wanting to cry, wanting to fight, and wanting to give up.

It's hard to start a post like this, but let's begin with something very basic.  --> My Mom.  I love her.  She's the strongest, most sensitive, most unwavering person I know.  And she doesn't give up.  She fights for Jesus every day of her life.  She grows in His goodness, mercy, and peace.  Her life isn't easy, but she makes mine easy.  Her days aren't always fun or enjoyable, but she does everything to make mine that way.  She has laid down her life for me.  What else can I say?  There's more behind this than I can share, but her heart is constantly waging a war for the truth of Jesus.  I know God warns us as believers that a life of Christ will be filled with suffering and pain, and yet God promises to deliver us.  And I have seen that clearly with my mom.  So this is a tribute to her.  God bless you Mommy.

I had a long talk with my mom today.  About the past, about the present, about the future.  It was one of those good talks about life, about things that you don't really want to say or hear, but that are good to be spoken and heard all the same.  Her biggest piece of advice to me in everything we talked about was to follow Jesus.  To know Jesus.  Yes.  I've heard that all my life, but today I thought about it a little deeper.

Tonight my mom and I went to a small church life group, where several families got together at one of their houses and held a Bible study.  Scott, a guy from our church who helps lead a Healing Prayer service that my mom often attends, invited her to come to this Bible study, so my mom and I decided to go check it out.  It was a wonderful group of people... we eat, sang songs, read the word, and discussed what was on our hearts.  There was one thing that really stuck out to me tonight that I feel God laid on my heart.  Haha, be prepared for a sermon, but one that I much needed today… and these are my thoughts spoken from the heart.

We read 1 Corinthians 13.  I'm sure a lot of you are familar with this passage, but it's good to read again anyway! :)

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

I've highlighted that parts that I've really thought about tonight.  But first, here's another verse that needs to be read.

1 John 4:8

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

So, God = love.  So, let's translate this with the parts I’ve highlighted.

God is patient.  Often I feel like I can handle life… I’m self-sufficient, I’ve got things down and under control.  I rely on myself for things to be okay.  But when we read and discussed how God is patient, God put this thought into my heart and made me share it with the others.  I am impatient with God when I don’t TRUST Him.  I begin to take things into my own hands and become self-reliance instead of trusting in His perfect timing and plan.  And I began to realize how guilty I am of this every day. 

I am nothing without God.  Yet God is patient.  God is love.  And without love, I am nothing. 

God never fails.  God is faithful.  He doesn’t give up on me.  He doesn’t turn away in disgust because we failed.  No.  God will never turn His back on us.  He never fails.  And we should never fail others.

God keeps no record of wrongs.  This was the biggest thing that I struck me today.  God doesn’t hold anything that we confess and repent of against us.  In fact, He has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west, right?  Right.  But this is what blew my mind away.  Ready??  GOD FORGETS OUR SINS AFTER FORGIVENESS.  He forgets.  He doesn’t remember.  He doesn’t hang it over our heads.  God – who’s perfectly good – doesn’t have a list of our wrongdoings.  Our sins are gone.  Gone.  Forever.  Wow.

So what does this mean for me?  It means that anything anyone does against me, I must forgive, and then forget.  Forever.  Never keep a record of wrongs.  Against anybody.  Ugh, this is so hard.  Especially when I started thinking about the people I shouldn’t be holding grudges against.  But it’s so easy to keep a record of wrongs.  And yet God says LET IT GO. 

Let it go Cassie. 

Forgive.

And forget.

Obsession

So basically, I am obsessed.

Yep.

That's right.

-Sigh-

Obsessed...... with.... BROADWAY MUSICALS!

First of all, I'm going to see Les Miserables on Saturday with a couple of friend and I'm so excited!  I've never seen before (and I haven't even read the whole book yet *shaaaame on me*) but I've been listening to the music for the past month and I'm in love with it!  Plus, I've been watching the Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert which has been running on tv for the past couple of weeks.  It's so amazing!  Words cannot express how amazing it is!  And I'm not just rambling on for the sake of rambling on... this show is incredible.  And I haven't even seen it yet!

One of the main characters in the show is named Enjolras.  The guy who plays him in the 25th anniversary concert is wonderful... I absolutely love him!  It took me a few times watching him, but this guy has some talent.  And currently, he is starring as the Phantom in the sequel to Phantom of the Opera called Love Never Dies.  This guy has a voice, and he doesn't even look like he's trying!  His name is Ramin (such an awesome name!! haha!)

So, in all my spare time, which isn't very much, I have been obsessing over Les Mis, Phantom, and a bunch of other musicals.  I've already seen Wicked, The Lion King, Annie, Little Women, A Christmas Carol, and Highschool Musical on Broadway.  And besides going to Les Mis this spring, I'm also going to Broadway's Mary Poppins.  And yes, I'm absolutely estatic!  I've told my family many times... if a guys likes me... A LOT.... he better take me to the theater on dates.  No cheesy restaurants or visits... we're going to do this Parisian style! :)

And speaking of spare time, I'm finally on Spring break!  I had my last final this morning (since I take 3 classes at Columbus State) and what a relief! I get a whole week and a half to worry about nothing...except for the pile of Calculus homework that I'm behind on.  But for the most part I'm free.  Such a heavenly feeling.  And I was able to work this afternoon and earn a little money to pay off my debts (going to all these plays adds up after a while!)  Next quarter should be interesting, that's for sure.  I'll be taking Beginning Drawing at OSU and Astronomy and Humanities at CSCC.  Lots of driving, lots of car time.  But, there's a plus to all that... I get to listen to the news, which I would never do unless I was in the car.  I also can listen to audio books which is quite handy, and on OSU's campus, I get to ride the bus because the parking lots are so far away!  (as you can see, I love riding buses!) 

So this upcoming three months will be a true adventure.

dancing the night away!

I have had the most glorious weekend! I went to a ball! Haha, and no I'm not princess on the way to meet her prince... NO.  It was a Celtic Ball, kind of like square dancing in sets but more formal and of course celtic!!!  In fact, a couple guys always show up in kilts each year.  I've been to this dance at least 6 times in the past, and the first time when my dad came too, he surprised my sister and I by wearing a kilt.  I wanted to die in a hole out of shame and misery, but my dad was quite proud of himself.  Thankfully, that was only the first year. :)

Indeed, Saturday was a splendid day and such a blast, especially since my sister and I had nine other girls come spend the day with us to get ready for the evening.  It was so much fun!! We all laughed, played cards, eat yummy food (love you Mommy!), did each others makeup, told secrets, got pretty, and used way too much hairspray. 

Photo credits to my mom :) And I'm the one in the white dress.

This is the end result.  Aren't we beaaaautiful?

And of course we had to get some goofy pictures. :)

Me and my pretty sister <3

I got to drive a bus full of girls up to the ball, where I saw and hugged even more of my friends.  And what's funny is when people at places like the Celtic ball know who you are, and you don't know who they are.  I had a couple of people say, "You're Cassie, right?"  Um, yeah... so who are you? lol

One of my neighbors (kinda) who I've known forever walked me in for the first dance, where we got into a conversation about Braveheart (due to the awesome bagpipe player), drama, school, and Shell Silverstein.  Another guy who asked me to dance talked about The Notebook (a movie that I don't really like but he absolutely loved, which I thought was hilarious!), adopting kids, and annoying younger siblings.  That's one of the things I love most about the Celtic Ball.  You can make friends so fast just by dancing one dance, and it's very formal while being casual at the same time.  You end up finding something in common to say, and you try to say it without messing up the entire dance.  And believe me, that's trickier said than done.

So, some of the most memorable moments of the day is laughing at Caitlin talk to the radio and her camera, playing the straw game, doing Hannah's makeup, taking hilarious pictures, playing freeze, jamming to music, seeing my friend Brooke at the ball after a really long time, and getting my feet stepped on (thanks to the guys).

By the end of it all, I was exhausted but oh so happy.  A bunch of friends and I went out to Applebee's afterward, where we made one of our friends drink a cup of salsa for $2.50 while drinking nothing afterward for at least five minutes.  He did it, unfortunately. 

A bunch of the girls came back to my house to sleepover, where we washed our faces, ate food, shared stories, laughed at the events of the night, and told juicy secrets.  When it came to waking up for church in the morning, I was an extremely sore and grumpy person. :)

But let's just say, it was all worth it!!!